Atlanta Dream Owner Pleasantly Surprised Based on Her Motherly Advice

Mary Brock, a new part owner of the Atlanta Dream, wondered what her children would think of her latest opportunity. But the advice that she'd always shared with them shaped their response.

Brock, a mother, grandmother and Buckhead resident, earlier this year took on her latest role as part owner of the Women's National Basketball Association team. She joins Kathy Betty and Kelly Loeffler as owners.

"I'd always told my children that they could do anything , be ready to reinvent yourself and be prepared to be 'surprised,' said Brock. It's the same advice that she'd offer women of any age. "My children have always been very supportive," she added.

A native of Moss Point, Miss., Brock grew up on the Gulf Coast and attending sporting events.

"If you are from the South, sports events are a way of life," said Brock, who grew up observing not playing. "Sport events bring people together; it's a way to interact with friends and a common interest. " Brock shared that a favorite family activity is a football fantasy league.

But, when it comes down to her new role with the Atlanta Dream, it's more about business.

"I transitioned my volunteer experience to this business model," she said.  But, it's also about community, she explained. "All the women in the WNBA are college graduates and are role models who demonstrate conviction," said Brock, who emphasized that healthy competition is also part of the game. Her main area of responsibilities lie within corporate sponsorship.

"Our goal is to influence young girls in the areas of high school graduation and better fitness, among others,"  she said. 

As one of the newest owners of the defending WNBA Eastern Conference champions, Brock also enjoys the accessibility of the players. "You can't get the accessibility to the players as you do in the WNBA in any other game in sports today," she said.

According to Brock, one of the team's main goals is to reach girls who don't play sports. She also shared one of her favorite Dream events — when the team plays in a local high school facility as a fundraiser.

As a woman, new mother and stepmother, I never knew thought I'd be sharing information with fellow mothers through a column. Thanks Mary for continuing to fuel the fire of exploration and openness.